June 2018

Page A39 JUNE 2018 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS S ec t i on A AUSTIN,TX— The International Order of the Golden Rule (OGR) installed its 2018-2019 Board of Directors during the OGR 2018 Annual Conference and Solu- tion Center in Savannah, GA on April 6. Adam Miles Martin , Martin Funeral, Cremation, & Tribute Services in Mt. Morris, MI was installed as President. Miles studied Management at the Uni- versity of Nevada in Las Vegas followed by Mortuary Science at Wayne State Uni- versity in Detroit, graduating in the fall of 2003. When asked for his vision for OGR, Adam said, “We need to continue work- ing diligently to bring exceptional re- sources to our members that add value to their OGR membership and value to their funeral homes for the families and com- munities they serve. This will ensure that these resources will continue to position OGR as a leader in the funeral industry.” The 2018-2019 Board also includes Tom Hemmerle of Barnett-Strother Fu- neral Home , Madisonville, KY as Presi- dent-Elect and Richard O’Hara , McAvoy O’Hara Company-Evergreen Mortuary , San Francisco, CA as Secretary-Treasur- er. Charles A. Castiglia , Lakeside Me- morial Funeral Home in Hamburg, NY was transitioned to Immediate Past Pres- ident. Returning to the Board are Evan Strong of Evan J. Strong Funeral Servic- es in Calgary, AB, and Mary Steele , Ar- nett & Steele Funeral Home in Pineville, KY. Paul Hummel, III , President, Hum- mel Funeral Home in Akron, OH along with Raffy Jose , President and CEO, Ar- lington Memorial Chapels, Inc ., Que- zon City, Manila, Philippines were sworn in as first-time elected board members to two-year terms. Kayla Carter , Carter-Ricks Funeral Home in Elsberry, MO is the winner of the 2018 Golden Light Award. The Gold- en Light Award is the association’s high- est honor, and it recognizes an individual who has made specific, meritorious con- tributions to society through his or her profession, community or field of volun- tary service as career achievements. President Miles said, “While being in- volved with the funeral home, Kayla has also found time to be active in the com- munity. Kayla has been actively involved in local organizations for over 45 years.” Kayla Carter has been a licensed fu- neral director for close to forty years. Shortly after being licensed, she and her husband purchased a funeral home and from day one, she was instrumental in developing the firm into a resource in their community. She has served as the office manager, funeral director, and accountant. She’s also involved with her state association and has served on countless committees at her state asso- ciation, with NFDA, and with OGR when her firm joined in 1989. With her state association, her primary focus has been the Missouri Funeral Trust. OGR installs New Board and Officers, honors Members, at Annual Conference Adam Miles Tom Hemmerle Richard O’Hara Charles A. Castiglia Evan Strong Mary Steele Paul Hummel, III Raffy Jose Kayla Carter Because of her accounting experience and daily due diligence with early trust chal- lenges, she was instrumental in early de- velopment of the trust’s accounting doc- umentation and reporting procedures. Over the years, she has spent numer- ous hours on the phone, visiting funeral homes, or visiting with individual funer- al directors in person, being a representa- tive and reference in explaining all facets of the trust. She has served on the board of directors and as president, and it is large- ly due to her determination and energy that the Missouri Funeral Trust has never failed to pay a funeral home or consumer the amount they are entitled to and the Trust has never had a consumer complaint filed against it. OGR presented the Exemplary Service Award to Davenport Family Funeral Homes and Crematory of Barrington, IL, Pray Funeral Home of Charlotte, MI, and Weymouth Funeral Home of New- port News, VA. The Exemplary Service Award recognizes member firms for the outstanding customer service they pro- vided to families during their time of loss, as demonstrated through comments from client families served who responded to OGR’s Family Contact Program surveys. “The service that these funeral homes provided is just one example of why they received an Exemplary Service Award. We are proud that our member firms practice the basis on which we were founded, The Golden Rule,” said Immediate Past Presi- dent Castiglia. Gardinier Funeral Home in Franklin, PA was awarded the 2018 Golden Rule Community Service Award. The Golden Rule Community Service Award, now in its eighth year, is awarded in recognition of a funeral home’s outstanding commu- nity service as demonstrated by involve- ment benefiting local organizations or community events. Every year, the nonprofit “Our Commu- nity Salutes,” recognizes the advancement of high school graduates into the armed forces nationwide in a special ceremony. This organization provides enlistees and their parents with information, guidance, resources and community support as their sons and daughters transition into the military service. Since 2014, Gardinier Funeral Home has sponsored this event by providing Liv- ing Candles for the enlistees. These “Liv- ing” Candles have four sides to them, which the staff has created and assembled each year. When the recruit or soldier is away from home, the yellow ribbon panel is turned facing the door which signifies the recruits are away and the family is awaiting their return. When the recruits have arrived home, the “Our Community Salutes” panel faces the door showing support. The candle represents not only support for the military, but also provides a glowing light to guide the new recruit home. “It’s this type of work that helps fami- lies find encouragement and support from these candles, and it’s OGR member firms like Gardinier Funeral Home that em- brace and encourage community involve- ment year round,” said Immediate Past President Castiglia. Founded in 1928, OGR is affiliated with independent funeral homes throughout North America and overseas that share common goals of exemplary service, un- compromising care and compassion to families in their time of need. 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